Ministry hits out, lawyers restrained

The Petroleum Ministry has said that free pricing advocated by Anil Ambani’s Reliance ADAG Group in its dispute over sharing natural gas would make the country “subservient” to Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd.

It says it has moved the Supreme Court to protect “national property”, a reference to the Krishna-Godavari basin gas, from being appropriated in a family deal.

Lawyers for both Anil’s Reliance Natural Resources Ltd and his estranged brother Mukesh’s RIL observed restraint after Anil Ambani levelled charges against the ministry in his firm’s annual general meeting. RIL also offered no comment. The ministry was more vocal.

A senior petroleum ministry official said, “If 60 per cent gas from KG-D6 and other blocks is given to RIL as per the free pricing advocated by Anil Ambani, then the whole country will be subservient to RIL.”

Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran told HT, “I don’t find the need to give a step-by-step rebuttal to what Anil Ambani said at the AGM of his company RNRL.”

RIL’s counsel Harish Salve also said, “We will argue our points in court.” “All I can say is that parties should not create public hysteria about this case.”